Scotland coach Stevie Scott wary of 'very hurt' France

Scotland forwards coach Stevie Scott has warned the Dark Blues to beware the wounded French players they are due to face in Paris on Saturday.

The side travel across the Channel hoping to snatch a second-place finish just a year on from finishing bottom with five straight defeats.

But the wooden spoon is now a prospect facing Les Bleus after three defeats and a 13-13 draw with Ireland last weekend left their championship ambitions in tatters.

Their only hope of a avoiding their first campaign without a single victory since 1957 is to see off the Scots at the Stade de France.

But Scott, who has been named the new interim head coach of Edinburgh following Michael Bradley's Murrayfield departure, has warned that fact might just count against Scottish hopes.

He said: "The pressure is off us because the wooden spoon has gone, but the pressure is back on for us to potentially finish second in the championship.

"That's what we are going for, so there is more pressure on us than if we had the wooden spoon as a prospect.

"But France's current position makes them even more dangerous. Very dangerous. With the French, you never know what mindset they are going to turn up with.

"They are very hurt with what has happened during the championship. They would have been the favourites beforehand, and to see themselves at the bottom will be painful. That hurt is dangerous."

Scotland's title hopes were ended by last Saturday's 28-18 defeat at home to Wales, when a series of penalty concessions handed victory to the visitors.

"They would have been the favourites beforehand, and to see themselves at the bottom will be painful. That hurt is dangerous." - Stevie Scott

Asked if the Welsh defeat had raised worrying questions about Scotland's scrummaging performance, Scott said: "Not at all. Scotland have got a good scrum, a very good scrum. You will see that if you look back at the games leading up to the Wales game.

"The problems we had against Wales are gone. They are out of our system.

"We have reviewed the game. We know we don't have to change anything major. We just need to adapt little things to make sure that doesn't happen again."